Students take gun away from classmate at Washington high school

LACEY, Wash. -- When two students at River Ridge High School in Lacey found out another student had a gun in his backpack they took it away.

One distracted him Wednesday while the other grabbed the backpack and gave it to a teacher. A resource officer arrested the 16-year-old who brought the gun to school.

A North Thurston Public Schools spokeswoman, Courtney Schrieve, says there is no indication the student intended to use the gun or that anyone was threatened. She says school officials wish the two students had reported what they knew instead of taking matters into their own hands.

A Lacey Police commander, John Suessman, praised the students for protecting their classmates.